Unbroken
by Asrith33
Summary: Lucy, Erza, Gray, and Juvia receive a job request all the way from the country of Minstrel. What they find on that job could change their lives forever! How difficult will it be to save the lives of so many enslaved creatures? How will the most amazing creature they find handle his freedom? Rated M for descriptive content.
1. Chapter 1: The Request

**Hello guys! I just put out this new story, and I am reallllllllyyyyyy excited. I already have the first three chapters written because why not!? This is a one shot, but I really want to make it into something more, and I can only do that if you guys review! Please give me something!**

**Disclaimer: Jade and Alvor are the only things I own, and they don't even really matter**

**Jade: "How rude!"**

**Asrith33: Anyway, to the story!**

-Chapter 1: The Request Edited 5/27/15

_Boom…_

_Boom…_

_Boom…_

I could feel the vibrations of the drums through the floor. The steady beat of the constant bass note buzzed in my ears as I sat alone in the darkness. I could faintly hear the roar of the crowd far above me, hundreds of voices crying out in rage, annoyance, happiness, and a million other emotions. They all twisted into a single nonsensical mass of sound. It was like a demonic choir that never ceased in its thunderous noise until the earliest hours of the morning.

I drowned it all out. I closed my eyes, even though I could not see. It helped me to drown out the voices. I faintly registered the sound of boots on the stone floor. The offbeat clomps became louder as the source drew closer. I cocked an ear, listening carefully as I tried to identify the owner of those offensive hob-nail boots. It was never silent here, but the sound was low and constant, and the daily intrusions from my keepers only served to annoy me each day as I tried to sleep. Sleeping was all I could do in my free time, and these people always found some way to interrupt even my deepest naps.

The thumps of the feet stopped and were replaced with the telltale shuffle of shoes dragging over a smooth floor. The sound was fluid, yet sharp, and it sent a shiver up my spine. I listened as the owner of the boots carefully fitted keys into the lock of the cage and pulled the door open, the hinges creaking. I listened to the person sigh, and a whiff of alcohol and cigars drifted into my nostrils. I curled my lip in disgust.

It was Alvor.

Of all of the people entrusted to care for me, Alvor was the one I despised the most. The man was fond of torture and had some of the best fighters in the arena. He would drive his fighters crazy with torture, both psychological and physical, and then he would throw them out in the arena to fight to the death. Almost all of them killed without a moment of hesitation. He had complete control over the others that had been imprisoned in this hellhole. He tortured me too, but unlike the others, I had yet to be broken. No, he hadn't broken me; instead he made me completely dependent on him outside of the arena. And it worked so well.

Alvor had created his own little world down here, and in this world, he was king, he was god. No one could tell him no, least of all me. I felt the heat of Alvors hand near my face and gently tough my snout, rubbing it affectionately. "You're gonna win me a lot of money today," he said, his foul breath wafting up my sensitive nose. He patted my snout one more time before walking away, ordering the others to take me up.

I groaned at the thought of the long and arduous trip up the tunnel where I would be subjected to the trials of the arena once again. It wasn't the thought of the arena itself that made me queasy, but the thought of riding some strange man made machine all the way up to the surface that made my stomach turn. I wanted to escape from my prison so badly, but it was futile. I was completely bound to the place where I sat. My legs were bound by thick, heavy chains, and my wings were bound to my back by giant leather straps that were uncomfortably tight. Two giant shackles bound my long neck to the floor, walls, and ceiling, restricting the movement of my head to only a few feet in each direction. My mouth was clamped shut by a muzzle and my horns had been sawn off. My stomach and chest was pulled flush against the ground by thick leather straps that was strapped over my back and firmly bound to metal clamps on the ground.

The chains that bound my head to the ceiling and walls were released and instead pulled down to rings on the floor and threaded through, pulling my head and neck down until I was lying completely against the floor.

I could do nothing as my caretakers started up the machine, and the platform under me suddenly began moving and I immediately became nauseous. I could hear several people begin to laugh at my sickness, but I ignored them and focused on not puking up my latest meal. As I lay there in misery, the platform slowly moved me toward the sound of the roaring crowd, and I could faintly hear the voice of the announcer above the cacophony of sound. There were so many sounds and smells assaulting my ears. Alcohol, cigarette smoke, food, the sounds of cowbells ringing, air horns blasting, and high pitched screams stood out from everything else, and it made me dizzy with anticipation.

I vaguely noticed a small pinch in my leg before my heart suddenly began beating faster. My eyes widened. I tried to raise myself up from my position, but I was bound. Not good. I needed to move.

I struggled against the chains, but they held fast. I wrenched my body violently as I tried to escape, desperate now to release this new energy. My heart was pumping so fast it felt like it would fly from my chest. My body heated up as the blood in my veins began to pump faster, keeping time with my now erratic breathing. I felt another pinch, and the restless sensation tripled, and I could feel my mind slipping as my body took over. I was desperate for release, desperate to break free and run, jump, do _anything _until I collapsed from exhaustion.

The roars from the crowd were unbearably loud and the blood rushing in my head seemed to match its intensity, until all I was aware of was the dull roar in my ears, the thousands of smells of the open air, and the blackness that had claimed my vision long ago.

I pushed forward, my muscles straining as I pushed my body's limits. The bindings on my body dug into my flesh painfully, but I didn't care. I felt the blood begin to pour down my neck before, finally, the chains fell away, and I launched forward into the arena. Giant doors slammed closed behind me as I moved forward. I was surrounded by the crowd, and their shrieks of excitement and fear only made me more restless.

I roared, spewing fire all around me, declaring my presence to the world. I heard a second set of doors being slammed shut and just managed to turn towards the sound before something huge rammed me to the ground.

FT

I couldn't believe that I was here right now. Why had I been picked to help out on a mission like this? I sighed for the millionth time that day as I followed the others down the street. One minute I had been looking for a job to take, and the next minute I was on a ship to Minstrel with Gray, Erza, Juvia, and Happy. It took a week to travel to the capital by ship, and I was more than happy the moment I set foot on dry land. I promised myself I would never travel by sea ever again if it wasn't at least on a luxury cruise liner.

After arriving in Minstrel's capital, we all rented rooms at a hotel, and were now on our way to see our employer. Erza was leading the way, Gray directly behind her whilecJuvia clung to his arm like a leech. Happy floated on his wings beside me as I walked behind the others, feeling dejected.

All I had wanted was some rent money, then Erza demanded that we all go with her on this mission for a 'bonding experience,' one that I was thoroughly convinced Juvia was enjoying every minute of. I couldn't help but feel upset about how clingy she was. Gray and I had been dating for two months before he decided to end it, and then he immediately hooked up with Juvia, who had been practically him stalking ever since they met. I was upset at first, but then I realized that mine and Gray's relationship just really hadn't been working out. We had nothing in common, and he had a horrible stripping habit that annoyed the hell out of me, but Juvia seemed to love it. I had accepted that Juvia was a better match for Gray, (Ice X Water, duh) but the attraction I had for him was still there.

I couldn't help the feeling of jealousy I had for the woman walking ahead of me. The rain woman had effectively stolen Gray from me, and they were having a much better relationship than Gray and I had had. I did feel kind of guilty for being jealous, because even though the introverted water mage had seen me as a "love rival" for the longest amount of time, she had accepted me as a friend and had gotten over her own jealousy while me and Gray had been dating. When Gray and I broke up she even visited my house and apologized profusely for screwing up me and Gray's relationship with her constant stalking. I just brushed her off and said that it just wasn't meant to be, and I even encouraged Juvia to try her luck with Gray. Juvia had been adamant at first, but she soon came around, and her and Gray were together a few days later. I was happy for them, despite my own shortcomings, and I was determined to support the couple. I wouldn't allow my own past feelings get in the way of a friendship I had with Juvia, and the teamwork required between me and Gray.

I shook my head to clear it of stray thoughts. Now was not the time to be thinking of my relationship status, I needed to focus on the mission (even though I was entirely convinced that Erza made us all come along to ensure that any bad feelings that anyone was harboring about the break up/ get together were stamped out).

We rounded a corner and came upon a large house that was set wall to wall with the buildings around it. It was easily five stories tall, and it vaguely reminded me of my old home, the Heartfilia Konzern. The building was all stone pillars, gold plated and baroque embellishment. To sum it up, it was made of extremely shiny, I-can-afford-this-and-you-can't material. Erza knocked a gloved fist on the huge wooden door, and they waited patiently for the door to be opened.

And they waited, and waited, and waited. Erza frowned and knocked on the door again, a little louder this time. Still, no one answered the door.

"Maybe they're not home," Gray offered.

Erza hummed and was about to turn away from the building when the door suddenly flew open, revealing a disheveled man in an askew business suit. Erza flinched, startled, and her hand brushed over the pommel of her sword before she regained her composure. The man at the door seemed more startled that her and took a step back upon seeing her action, eyes wide.

"Sir," Erza began, clearing her throat as she pulled out a flyer from her pocket, "We are mages from Fairy Tail. We have accepted your job request." She offered him the flyer, but he only stared at it, seeming lost for a moment.

"Ah." He said his voice slightly hoarse. "I guess you didn't hear the news? That job's been canceled."

"Eh? But we came all this way," I said. This was not looking good at all. The request form had promised one million Jewl, and that was the only reason I had agreed to come along in the first place. Rent was insanely expensive.

The man nodded his head, and he seemed extremely reluctant to tell us his next piece of information. "I cancelled the job because I can no longer pay you the amount the job stated."

Erza frowned. "That is not a problem sir, one million Jewl would have been more than enough to split between us; a lower reward does not bother us at all."

I wanted to protest to that, but held my tongue. We all knew perfectly well that jobs were only taken according to initial profit, and it would have been a huge steal when just split between the four of us. Whether we still took this job or not depended on just how far the reward had dropped.

"Mam," the man said, a bead of sweat dripping down his forehead, "I cannot pay you for your services at all."

Silence.

Gray was the first to speak. "What's the meaning of this, explain yourself!"

The man flinched, but maintained his composure and quickly stepped back from the door, opening it wider and revealing the interior of his home.

"If you come inside, I will explain myself in full."

Erza nodded and quickly followed the man inside, the rest of us behind her. I couldn't help but be taken aback when I stepped into the home. I had been expecting a grandeur that matched the outside of the home, but instead I was met with bare walls, empty wooden floors, and a fine layer of dust covering every surface of the house.

The man led us into what must have been the sitting room, which was also devoid of furniture. The man stretched out his hands, gesturing to the entire room.

"What you are looking at right now is the last of what I own, and soon I will not even have this."

He turned away from us, staring out a window in the far wall.

"My name is Jade. I was once the CEO if a huge magical outfitters company, _Mage Fashion. _My company was bought by Mr. Jude Heartfilia and his company. My company did very well for a long time, but seven years ago, his company went bankrupt, and my company and many others soon followed after."

I gasped at the mention of my father. Memories of my childhood with him, my encounter after the company failed, and then the news of his death after Tenroujima. I had hated myself for a long time after I found out he was dead, and had continued to pay my rent for seven years. I still visit his grave frequently.

Jade didn't seem to have noticed my outburst and continued. "My company didn't go down at first. We struggled to regain out independence for a few a few years before the company finally collapsed two years ago. The company had just become too dependent on the Heartfilia business, and couldn't recover fast enough. I've been living off of my last few paychecks this past year, trying to find a new job, but no one would take me. I'm the laughingstock of the Minstrel business industry! I couldn't even get a desk job! Before I knew it I was receiving notices from the bank that I would be evicted, and I simply couldn't pay the bills. They came a week ago and took everything in order to pay off my dept. The only things I own now are the very clothes on my back."

Jade huffed in frustration and plopped down on the wooden floor, spreading a small cloud of dust. He hid his face in his hands, and I could have sworn he was about to cry.

"So," he continued, "due to my current financial situation, I cannot pay you for this job. Please just return to Fiore and get on with your lives; there's nothing for you here."

Everyone was silent for a moment before I carefully stepped forward. I crouched down to Jade's level and grabbed his arms, moving his hands away from his face.

"Sir," I began, "I think all of us can agree that the money doesn't really matter right now. We are here, so just let us do the job, and you can forget about paying us for anything."

I knew the others were probably looking at me like I was crazy. Me of all people was rejecting money and doing a job for no profit what so ever? Yes I was a money grubber, especially when it came to rent money, but at this point money didn't matter. Jade was in this position because he had made a deal that he had no idea would go south. He had even found a need and had been willing to pay a hefty sum in order to see it filled, even when he was losing everything. It reminded her too much of her father, who had continued to pay her rent while she was trapped on Tenrou for seven years, even though he was told that she was surely dead. I would help Jade, even if he couldn't pay. Fairy Tail existed to help others, and as a Fairy Tail mage she would gladly sacrifice her time and energy in order to help Jade's cause.

A metal covered hand clamped down gently on my shoulder, and Gray's pants-less leg appeared at the corner of my vision.

"Lucy is right," Erza said, "we'll help, even if you can't pay." Her face suddenly became serious as the subject changed to the matter at hand. "But first, we need you tell us the details of this mission we are on."

Jade stared at them for a moment, eyes wide with astonishment.

"I-I couldn't possib-"

"Don't try to deny Erza," Gray stated. "One she and Lucy have made up their minds, there's nothing to do but follow their lead."

Juvia nodded next to him. "Juvia thinks this also."

A single tear slid down Jade's face, and his whole body shook. "T-thank you so much."

**Here it is! I hope you're at least interested. Please review, I only continue stories if they get at least two reviews, but I may just continue this one anyway because I love it so much.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Arena

-Chapter 2: The Arena Edited 5/27/15

Lucy tried to concentrate as the crowd around her roared in approval. She felt like she was going to be sick. Down below her, a Vulcan was being shredded apart by a monster. The Vulcan was the last of a small horde that had been released into the arena. She was shocked at first when the announcer introduced a creature named Koro, and then the huge doors leading into the arena's underground opened, revealing…

A dog.

A small, white dog, that waddled on two legs into the arena. The huge crowd had begun laughing at the tiny creature, and Lucy would have too, considering the hostile atmosphere that the small dog had emerged into. But when she looked at the dog, a shiver had gone down her spine, and a sense of unease settled over her.

From the other side of the arena, a second set of doors had been opened, and several dozen vulcans began spilling out of the doors. The small dog was completely unresponsive as the monsters hurdled towards him, except Lucy noticed, for just a split second, a smile curving along the dogs face.

Right when the horde was on him, Koro disappeared in a huge cloud of steam, and then it all went downhill from there. Lucy and the others could only watch as the Vulcans were destroyed by the huge monster that had taken the white dog's place. Its eyes were red, its fur a dark crimson, and rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth shredded each of the Vulcans to ribbons before they all disappeared down Kuro's throat in bloody chunks. The last Vulcan was finally killed, and it too met the same fate as its brethren.

The crowd was silent for a moment before they erupted into cheers, and the huge creature shrunk back down into a dog once more, silently waddling out of the arena.

Lucy let out a breath that she didn't realize she had been holding. She was sick to her stomach, and she felt like she would be deafened by the ecstatic crowd cheering around her. She was about to rise to go to the restrooms and puke up her lunch, when a voice stopped her.

_Lucy,_ it was Gray's voice. _Stay where you are, take deep breaths. I know your uncomfortable with all this, but bear with it, it will be over soon._

Lucy grasped the lachrima pendant around her neck, allowing her to respond to Gray_. I-I don't think I can do this Gray. _She said her breathing speeding up as she began to panic.

Grays voice became slightly panicked; worry underlying the calm in his voice. _Don't think about it. Close your eyes, take deep breaths, we'll be done after this next match, and then we can leave. You don't have to watch, but you can't leave now; the main event is coming up and it would look suspicious if anyone left beforehand._

Lucy listened to his words and breathed slowly in and out. Her heart was beating hard within her chest, and it felt like it would break out if it beat any harder_. _She closed her eyes and embraced the calming darkness, and soon her heart began to steady, and the wild thumping in her ears dimmed to a steady rhythm that faded out of her attention.

She slowly opened her eyes, and was greeted by the sight of the crowd churning around her, and the bright fluorescent lights reflecting off of bare, sweaty skin and the bars of metal that kept the crowd closest to the inner ring safe from the combatants.

Her eyes shifted to the crowd on the other side of the arena, and she spotted Juvia there, sitting almost in the front row, right up against the huge metal walls that lined the fighting pit. Her eyes were focused on Lucy, and a look of worry was painted across her face.

_Are you alright Lucy? _The water mage asked, genuinely concerned for Lucy's wellbeing.

Lucy nodded from her seat across from the arena. _I'll be alright, Juvia. I just needed a moment._

The rain woman nodded and turned her attention back to the pit.

Lucy blinked and quickly slapped her cheeks to distract herself from her straying thoughts. She adjusted herself on the stone seat she was seated on, not for the first time, as she tried to get comfortable. The clothes she was wearing weren't exactly helping.

Lucy was sporting a tight fitting black body suit that flared into a collar at the top, exposing her chest. A white line ran up the zipper and a belt was secured loosely around her waist, holding her key pouch and her whip. Her hair was pulled back into a side pony tail with a skull clip, and a skeletal snake tattoo wrapped around her upper arm. Happy had run away screaming when he saw her, saying she looked like Lucy Ashley.

Lucy wasn't the only one in the group to undergo a major transformation. Erza had decided that they should proceed with caution into the illegal establishment and they were all forced to wear disguises as a precaution. Erza and Gray were well known mages, and Juvia and Lucy were becoming more and more popular as the days went by.

Lucy glanced behind her at Gray, who was standing near one of the Arena's many entrances, watching the pit with interest. He had been the first of them to enter the arena, and had employed himself here as a guard. People weren't allowed to bring weapons into the arena, due to the fights that had broken out in the past over lost bets, but the guy who owned the place was cautious, and had employed Gray in a heartbeat, and made sure Gray was well equipped to handle the unruly crowd. He would remain undercover until their mission was over, and would use his privileges as a guard to move about freely and get a feel for the place. He was dressed in his own new style as well. His chest was bare, and he had on a baggy pair of white pants which was covered in a yellow triangle pattern. A belt was thrown over the pants and held a small pouch and a sheathed knife. Gray's right upper arm had a red tattoo, and he had a tomahawk slung over his shoulder. He would never make much use of the weapons, but they made an impression on others and the way Gray carried himself made it seem like he knew how to use them.

Juvia had undergone a major throwback, and looked just like the crazed rocker chick she had turned into when they had fought against Trinity Raven. Her long blue hair fell down in waves down to her waist, and she wore an extremely revealing purple vest, which was tied together just under her breasts by some strings. A purple, heart shaped tattoo adorned her flat stomach, leading down to a tight fitting pair of black skinny jeans. A spikey silver necklace wrapped around her throat and a black spikey bracelet adorned her wrist. Erza's magic made her skin appear deathly pale, paler than usual. Juvia had been utterly embarrassed to wear such clothing in front of Gray, and was extremely reluctant to walk around in public like that, but she eventually relented, and now seemed to have grown comfortable in the revealing clothing. From her spot on the other side of the arena, it was her job to simply observe along with Lucy until they decided to break their cover and bring the place down.

Erza, who was walking silently along the highest ring, made the largest impression on anyone daring enough to send a glance her way. She wore what almost appeared to be a military uniform, a deep blue shirt and pants and knee high black boots. A strap thrown over her shoulder secured a sword to her side. A black coat topped with fur was thrown over her shoulders, and billowed out behind her slightly as she walked. She had died her fiery red hair blond, and styled it in a way that it was thrown over her face slightly and curled at the ends. She immediately drew attention wherever she went, but one glance from her fierce eyes would send troublemakers running. She had come in as a bodyguard for some rich snob who was making a killing on betting in the Arena, and was pacing back and forth along a rather large section of seats in the arena, where many of her employer's associates sat.

We had all covered up our _Fairy Tail_ guild marks with magic as a precaution, so that if anything happened we weren't traced back to the guild. Happy was elsewhere, helping the scouting effort by flying way up over the arena, getting a feel for the enormity of the building as a whole. Lucy was glad that the little Exceed wasn't down here, as she was sure that he would have freaked out in the cramped arena.

It had taken them three days to find this place, and Lucy was relieved when they finally managed to make progress, of course her enthusiasm was smashed into the ground when she heard the plan. She had been mortified by the role that she was meant to play, but complied when Erza flashed her signature glare. Lucy sighed as the current match ended. She hadn't been paying attention so she had no idea what happened. The announcer's voice boomed through the arena's giant speakers, and suddenly everything went silent.

A man that had been sitting in the section Erza was "guarding" stood and made his way to a closed off section of spectators seats. He joined the announcer there and took the microphone from his hands. He stood, turning to address the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome." His voice boomed and echoed over the arena, and everyone cheered again. The man held up his hands and the crowd quieted. "I welcome all of you, and thank you for your patronage, allowing the wonderful entertainment this facility provides to continue. I hope you have saved your bets for the final match, because many of you may be going home with empty pockets."

A groaning sound echoed through the arena, and metal screeched as something began moving within the bowels of the building. A chatter rose within the crowd, excited whispers that expressed open wonder for what was coming.

The man holding the mic seemed to smirk proudly as the sound of chains rattling joined the rising volume of chatter from the crowd.

"We have received hundreds of requests for a particular match, one that will answer an age long question. Which is stronger, fire, or earth? Or more specifically, Iron."

The crowd cheered as realization of what was happening began to echo through the crowd. Lucy was completely confused, but her attention was drawn back to the man once again.

"We have two champions. One is a specter, silent and imposing. His armor is impregnable, and his strength unmatched. He thrives in darkness and he is wild and heartless. He has never lost a fight. Our very own Iron champion, ready to fight against the Red Menace, I introduce to you, Devil's Shadow!"

A boom echoed through the stands and everyone seemed to hold their breath as the south doors of the arena slowly opened. There was a clatter as a metal net rose in a dome over the pit, effectively closing the audience off from the action within the ring. The spectators on the first few rows began moving back from the net, quickly being absorbed into the rest of the crowd farther back. They knew something was coming, and Lucy began to get nervous.

The south doors were completely open, and everyone leaned forward in anticipation.

Suddenly, a huge _something _stormed out of the doorway and a roar seemed to shake the entire arena.

The huge monster quickly filled the space within the pit with its girth, and Lucy gasped at the huge size of it. It was all muscle and shining metal, and so impossibly huge! Its huge head came up above the bottommost rows. The thing only had to jump in order to touch its nose to the top of the net.

If finally stood still, planting its feet firmly against the ground and roaring; shouting its presence to everyone there.

_N-no way… is that.. _Gray began, but the words died on his lips **(can you have lips when you communicate telepathically) **as he stared in open awe at the creature before him.

_A Dragon. _Lucy finished.

The dragon was covered from nose to tail in shiny plates that almost resembled armor. They stacked over each other like scales down the full length of the dragon's body. The dragon had horn like protrusions sticking out from its skull, and more curving around its mouth. At a closer look though, Lucy could see that they were all blunt, the ends sawn off. The same could not be said for its claws. The dragon's feet ended in deadly daggers that gleamed in the light. This thing was a monster, ready to use its natural weapons and tear its opponents to shreds.

Lucy gulped. This thing was champion for a reason.

The man with the microphone laughed and listed off the fights that the dragon had participated in, one recounting how the dragon acquired a nasty set of scars on one of its forelegs. Finally, he finished and moved on to introduce the other opponent.

"Devil's Shadow has won many fights, and has become a favorite of all you wonderful spectators. But there is one other monster here, one that we don't let out often. His destructive power is massive, and he has won every match he has ever fought, and only against the strongest. The Iron dragon is cool headed and quick to act, but the Fire dragon is brash, hot headed, and ready to demolish everything in its path. The reckless nature of Red Menace has made him infamous in our betting pools. He jumps into every fight in blind fury, and will only face consequences later. He…" The rest of the man's speech was drowned out by the sound of the north doors grinding open.

The Iron dragon moved back, slightly nervous at the sound that assaulted everyone's ears. There was a low pitched growl that began to rise in intensity, until only the snarls and roars of some horrendous beast could be heard.

Finally the doors opened wide, revealing the fire dragon. Lucy had only seconds to take in the hulking form, blood dripping down its neck from the chains digging into its skin, before the chains released, and the dragon stormed into the arena.

It paused for a moment and Lucy got the chance to examine the fiery creature. Its scales were crimson and they glittered like jewels in the lights of the arena. Thick leather straps were bound securely around its chest and stomach, keeping its wings bound to its back. This dragon, just like the other, had had its horns sawn in half, the ends polished until they ended in a smooth rounded tip. It could still use the horns as weapons; it just couldn't puncture its opponent, causing critical damage.

The dragon leaned its head back, seeming to suck all the air out of the room before a huge column of fire spewed from its maw. It sprayed fire all around it, and the Devil's Shadow seemed to take it as a challenge. With a mighty bellow, it charged forward, lowering its head to ram its horns into the fire dragon's side. The Red Menace collapsed onto his side, the Devil's Shadow stomping him into the ground as he continued to charge to the other side of the pit. The iron dragon circled the Red Menace, watching him from the edges of the pit.

Red Menace seemed dazed. His nose was in the air and he kept turning his head, as if looking for something. The audiences cheering was deafening as they egged the dragons on. People were jumping up and down, cowbells were ringing, booze was splashing, and the constant boom of the speakers was adding a low pulsing to the chaos.

Lucy watched as the fire dragon seemed to become confused, as if all the sound was making him unable to fight. She stood so that she could get a better look at the fight. For a moment, the Red Menace's head turned towards her, and she gasped when she saw his face.

Four scars curved along the fire dragon's snout, and one in particular slashed over his eyes. The scars looked like they were claw marks from some huge beast. The scar over his eyes had completely torn through his face, leaving the ruined tissue to scar. The mending had not gone well. The flesh and skin around his eyes had been torn to shreds and the scars that had formed had made the skin swell with callouses and raised flesh. The dragon had no eyes, only two empty holes that were covered in scar tissue.

Lucy brought a shaky hand to her Lachrima necklace as Devil's Shadow dived back into the fight, Red Menace taking the full force of the attack.

_Gray, did you see that?_

_Yeha, that dragon is completely blind. It's probably relying on its hearing and smell, but with all this noise, it's reduced to smell, and the situation with that can't be much better._

Lucy nodded, and then remembered that he couldn't see her from his current position.

_As soon as this match is over, we put our plan into action. I'm not going to sit through another day of this._

Gray agreed with her, and quickly informed the others as Lucy turned back to the fight. She prayed to any god that would listen that the two dragons made if it out of the fight alive, but deep down she knew the chances were slim. She wanted to help these creatures. If they survived, they would be liberated from their prison this very night.

**Don't forget to review, and read on my Lovelies!**


	3. Chapter 3: Plan Start

Chapter 3: Plan Start Edited 5/27/15

Lucy strode silently down the empty hallways. The arena had finally cleared out half an hour ago, and they could now put their plan into action. She was glad that the horrible match between the two dragons had come to an end. Luckily, the match had ended in a tie, but the dragons both suffered heavy damage. Erza suspected that neither would make it through the night.

In a last ditch attempt to take down Red Menace, Devil's Shadow had pulled his trump card. In an incredible display of physical and magical strength, the Iron dragon spewed huge metal shards at the fire dragon. Most missed their intended target, embedding themselves into the pit wall. One, however, managed to make a potentially lethal strike on the fire dragon. The huge metal fragment slashed Red Menace's neck, right over an artery. Blood had flowed from its neck like a fountain as it wailed in pain. The blood quickly pooled on the ground, and the crowed screamed in delight at the carnage.

Lucy had expected the dragon to collapse from blood loss right there and then, but instead, the blind dragon roared in defiance and charged towards its enemy. Red Menace lowered his blunted horns at the other dragon's chest, and the Devil's Shadow couldn't react fast enough to dodge the ivory blades hurtling towards him. Despite the fact that they were blunted, the horns impaled the Iron dragon easily, digging under a gap in his armor and piercing the soft flesh underneath. You could hear the crunch of the dragon's delicate bones snapping, and the grind of the fire dragon's horns against Devil's Shadow's now useless armor. The Iron dragon roared with pain, desperately trying to pull away from the fire dragon, but its efforts were futile. Even as the slash on its neck opened wider and blood slicked the ground, the fire dragon raised its head, hoisting the weight of Devil's Shadow directly on top of his horns, driving them deeper inside the iron dragon.

Everything seemed to still as Red Menace paused, Devil's Shadow coming closer and closer to death as the fire dragon's horns slid closer to its heart. All it would take is one shove, one twist, and the iron dragon would die. The crowd roared, demanding their champion to finish the iron dragon. Lucy held her breath as she watched. Surely the fire dragon would kill the other?

But no. The moment passed; and the fire dragon sagged, its horns pulling out of the iron dragon's body as it collapsed.

The arena had quite a scare for several minutes as the crowd thought that both dragons had met a brutal end, but it was quickly confirmed that both were alive, but in no condition to fight, and the match ended. All bets were on who could live longer into tonight. No one expected the dragons to make it, not with such horrible injuries.

But Lucy believed otherwise. As soon as the match ended, she had begged Erza to make a special call and have Porlyuscia come immediately. The armored mage had complied, and soon returned with news that Porlyuscia and several others from the guild were on their way. It would take them at least a week to arrive, but Erza was confident their own abilities could keep the dragons alive until help finally arrived. Lucy didn't want to wait that long, but there was nothing they could do anyways.

Lucy shook her head and slapped her cheeks in an attempt to clear her head. She could think about the dragons later. For now, she needed to meet up with Juvia and put their plan into full motion. If Lucy was on schedule, she would reach the designated room at the same time as Juvia, and Gray and Erza would be clearing out the holding pits while Lucy and Juvia took out the head honcho.

Lucy rounded a corner and eyed a door in the center of the hall, with two guards in front. Seconds later Juvia appeared. She looked at Lucy for an instant, before she too noticed the guards. Lucy immediately turned on sex-kitten mode, swaying her hips and pouting her lips slightly. Juvia mirrored Lucy's own movements, albeit a bit more timidly.

The two guards noticed them and they both straightened and puffed up their chests a little. Lucy sauntered up to one of them and wrapped her arm around his, pressing her breasts into him. The guard glanced down at her, his face flushed as he tried not to ogle her overly-large bust. The other guard was having a similar problem with Juvia, trying to push her away, but Lucy could tell they were turned on.

"What are two big strong men like you doing out here?" Lucy purred, batting her eyelashes seductively. "Wouldn't you rather go somewhere quiet with us? There are so many rooms in this place, we could get lost if we wander around alone."

The guard she was currently holding captive gulped, and barely managed to pry away his arm to knock on the door. The door opened a crack, revealing Erza, her cold gaze cutting into the guard like a razor blade.

"What is it?"

"T-the prostitutes the boss wanted are here," the guard stammered, his face flushed crimson. Lucy felt a stab to her pride at that, but kept her face blank as Erza repeated the message to her employer. There was a response and Erza turned back.

"He didn't request any prostitutes," she stated bluntly, giving the guard an annoyed look.

The guard turned pale and began to flounder, unable to function under the pressure of Erza's intense gaze.

Erza was about to tell the guard to send them away when someone inside the room spoke up and Erza repeated the message.

"Let one in, the other can leave."

Lucy peeled away from the guard and stepped up to the door. Juvia gave a fake disappointed humph and began to seduce both of the guards. This was going exactly as planned.

Lucy slipped into the room just as one of the guards reached a hand around to paw Juvia's butt. Juvia didn't react at all, but Lucy noticed a tick forming on her forehead. The door shut and Lucy was confident that Juvia could easily lead the guards away and dispose of them, then head downstairs to Gray.

Lucy focused back on the room as Erza led her to an adjacent sitting room. The door she had entered through was one of many within the entire floor plan. They had entered into a small room which was between a sitting room and a game room. In the sitting room, Lucy could see beyond into a bedroom, and there was most likely a bathroom or powder room connected to it as well.

In the sitting room there was a large fireplace, unlit due to the summer heat. Two wing backed chairs rested on a large rug in front of it, and an inn table held several empty alcohol bottles. There was also a large couch resting against the wall and a moderately sized Lachrima vision TV opposite of it. Lucy noticed that there was a man sitting in one of the chairs. Erza stopped her at the edge of the rug and went around the chair to whisper to the man. He spoke something else to her and Erza nodded, walking away silently. She and Lucy locked eyes and Erza nodded.

The plan was in motion. As soon as Erza stepped outside and confirmed that the guards were properly dispatched, she would send Lucy the go ahead with the Lachrima. Then the fun would start.

The door leading to the hallway shut and the room was filled with silence. Lucy steeled herself and 'happily' bounced over to the empty wingback chair. She flopped down in the chair and turned, resting her breasts on the chairs arm and causing them to just out from the skin-tight body suit. She glanced at the man seductively and wiggled her body suggestively. On the inside, she was disgusted to have to do this, but the mission demanded it.

She took this small window to size up the man. He was older, yet handsome. His hair was thinning slightly, and his face was covered in handsome stubble. Even from his seated position, Lucy could tell he was fairly tall, and she could see the slight bulge of muscles under his shirt. Lucy couldn't be sure, but he might put up a good fight if she wasn't careful.

The guy was most definitely enjoying the show. As Lucy rose from her seat and slid onto his lap, he stroked his growing erection through his pants. He grabbed Lucy's hips and pulled her close, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of her thighs. "I don't remember ordering any prostitutes," he breathed, his breath hot against Lucy's neck, smelling like gin. "But whatever. Probably a gift from one of my business partners. All the better 'cause it's free."

Lucy felt the Lachrima vibrate from its chain around her neck and internally sighed in relief. She didn't know how much more of this she could take. She smiled seductively at him, and made as if to pull the zipper of her bodysuit down. Her fingers slid past the Zipper however, and curled around a needle nestled within her breasts. Before the man could react, Lucy had popped off the needle's cap and plunged it into his neck.

The man's eyes widened and he made a choking sound before collapsing forward as Lucy slid off of him. Lucy scowled at him as his eyes rolled to look at her. He was completely paralyzed, and would remain that way for several days. Lucy was glad now that she had taken extensive training with Porlyuscia on potion making. The precision that the grumpy old woman required was insane, but helpful. If Lucy had been the slightest bit off, this guy would be dead, and she would be in a lot of trouble.

She stepped around his prone body, making her way back towards the exit. She didn't have to worry about anyone coming through here. Most probably suspected that he would be pre-occupied for the next few hours, and soon there would be no one left to come get him. Even as she walked out the door, Lucy knew that the others were wreaking havoc on the men downstairs.

After they had gotten their information from Jade, Erza had done some digging around and eventually heard through the grapevine of a place somewhere far off in the desert that was connected to Minstrel's major cities by an underground pathway of sorts. The underground network was connected directly to the city sewer systems and were nigh impossible to navigate unless one had been using them for a long time. This did not deter them however, as Erza quickly hunted down someone on the inside and beat the crap out of him until he spilled the beans. After a few days of careful preparation they donned their disguises and entered the underground. Even with the directions from Erza's victim, they still found themselves lost within the underground multiple times before they got lucky and managed to follow another group to the Arena.

Looking back on it all now, Lucy wondered why they couldn't have just had happy search for the arena from the sky. The arena itself was impossible to miss. It was huge, and was consisted simply of stair-like seats lining the sides of a circular crater. The center had been dug out and widened so that the larger fighters could fit within the confines of the pit. The aboveground, however, was just the tip of the iceberg. Erza had managed to procure maps of the Arena's layout and had memorized them. Underneath the arena was a complex system of tiers. Four lre hallways all connected to an outer circle, and then two a single huge vertical pit which could only be accessed via a pulley system manned by a team of Vulcans. The pulley system was the only thing that connected the underground to the arena, along with a tiny stairway that simply opened up at each floor.

They had to be careful going into this. If the pulley system was compromised, all the prisoners within the bowels of the Arena would be trapped for at least a week. Some of its inhabitants couldn't live that long without proper attention.

Lucy gritted her teeth as she made her way to the stairwell. The two dragon's current predicament was foremost on her mind, but she again pushed her emotions down to be dealt with later. She opened the door and was met with damp, musty air. The stairs were dark, the light from the hall doing little to penetrate the darkness. She hesitated a moment, her fear getting the best of her. Lucy harrumphed, unwilling to let her fear of the many creatures she had seen today hold her back. Before she could give it a second thought, she rushed down the stairs, taking them two at a time. She wouldn't let the darkness bother her. She would overcome her fear. The monsters beneath this place couldn't be any worse than the ones above ground. Besides, she saw darker things in her dreams.

**Don't forget to review, and read on my Lovelies!**


	4. Chapter 4: Line jump

**Hey guys, I'm back! Did you miss me? Probably not, but whatever. How's it going, because I am having fantastic time here in Texas. I haven't floated away yet, but I was without power for two days now. I am sitting here with my mascot, Snickers (she's my 13 year old cat, and is now my profile pic). I'll tell you, I have been a very busy bee since the last update. College/ High School finals, performances, and, just yesterday, UIL Solo and Ensemble in Austin. Yep, that was fun. I got to watch the whole grid go down when lightning struck a transformer. Chili's was still in business though, thanks to their backup generators. Chick-fil-a wasn't so lucky. I could have ended up staying in Austin for a second night because the roads were all flooded. I'm back home though, but it's not much better here.**

**Well, enough of that! This story is really getting interesting! It really only took me so long to get this out because of school, my recent promotion to Flute Captain, and the fact that there are three more stories in the works. (Spolers: I have some AOT and DGM stories coming in!) Also, I went back and edited the past three chapters. I decided to create 'stage names' for our two dragons.**

**The fire dragon is named-Red Menace**

**The iron dragon is named- Devil's Shadow**

**Disclaimer: Me no own Fairy Tail!**

Chapter 4:

It took all of Erza's willpower to force herself to descend into the corrupted pit that served as a prison for countless creatures. The dead monsters and animals that had been forgotten in the dark recesses of the compound had been piled up into the cages of larger monsters, and had been torn apart with gusto. The smell alone, which made her eyes water and her stomach heave, was nearly all it took for her to turn away from the entrance and forget the thing ever existed. But she couldn't turn away.

The people running this place needed to be stopped, and the depraved creatures needed release from their prison. So Erza forced herself onward, muttering a spell to block the stench from her nose.

What she couldn't block however, was what her eyes presented to her. Creatures she had never even heard of before were locked up here, snapping and snarling as she passed. Many shied away from the light in her hand, as if they hadn't seen light in forever. Others were still, and if it weren't for the gentle rise and fall of their sides, she would have sworn they were dead. Rodents crawled about, and many of the caged creatures did nothing to stop their incessant nibbling as the rats slowly ate away at their bodies.

Erza's heart reached out to them, but she was forced to steel herself and move past them. Her mission was to detain the guards. And she did just that, knocking out guards and locking them in empty cages to be retrieved later. She wished nothing more than to throw them in with the creatures they had tormented, but Gray's calming words stayed her hand.

She had allowed the ice mage to keep in constant contact with her via the Com. Lachrima throughout their exploration of the arena so that they may know if something went wrong. She could faintly feel the quiet presence of Lucy's own comforting consciousness, and Juvia's silent support as they all explored the arena from different sides.

Juvia was managing the upper arena along with Happy, while Lucy took out the Arena's manager. Erza and Gray were in charge of clearing out the underground guards, and then Lucy and the others would come in behind them to make a log of all the captured creatures. They would all meet up in a few hours to figure out which creatures took priority, and which were even worth saving.

Erza had sent a special request that the Strauss siblings be sent along with Porlyuscia to better manage the creatures. She also sent for Warren and several of the guild's powerhouses just in case the creatures got out of hand.

Within two hours Erza and Gray had taken out all the guards and had decided to start retracing their steps and meet Lucy and Juvia at the halfway point, which would be the single Vulcan powered lift in the center of the underground's circular layout. From there, they would descent to the bottommost levels of the underground, which were significantly larger than the other levels. It was there that Erza suspected they would find the largest, and possibly most deadly, creatures in the underground.

A niggling thought floated about in the back of her mind, but she tried her best to ignore it. It was a fruitless effort though, as her thoughts continued to drift back to the subject of the two dragons. She had to wonder how the two monsters of legend had been captured and forced to participate in events as heinous as the ones that took place in this place. All the legends and stories that she had ever heard about dragons attested to their brute strength, endless magical reserves, and fortified pride. She doubted that the two dragons were captured without a fight, and it was most likely a very one sided and unfair one.

She finally reached the platform and scoured the pulley complex for guards. There were none, however the Vulcans were still present, eying her warily from their cage. They were still harnessed to the rotating block, ready to lower and raise the platform at the snap of a whip. It was now that Erza noticed large rollers that seemed to have replaced the wood floors. This was the hallway that Erza had seen in the blueprints. There were about a dozen other hallways just like it. On the major floors that held the largest cells, huge platforms had been set on rollers in the floor. Wooden walkways were set on either side of the rolling lane so that people could still move about. The platforms themselves had rings where chains could be looped through.

Whoever had built this place had taken every precaution in order to keep the prisons inhabitants under control, that included keeping them stabilized in transport.

The lift hall was in the exact center of the complex, and four large hallways spanned out on the roller halls, with only one platform that moved about on each. A similar movement system was on almost all of the halls, but only about a dozen of them possessed the roller system. The singular platforms locked into the lifts, where were then pulled up or down by the pulleys.

The layout was ingenious and efficient, well maintained by the guild that had taken up residence within. Erza loathed the feeling, but she had to applaud the less far less than bright members of the guild for being able to figure out how to operate the complicated system.

She paced the area of the lift platform, restless as she waited for the others to gather. She was making her fifth rotation when she heard a faint groan echo down from one of the hallways. She froze, her armor clanging as it settled on her suddenly still frame. She listened hard, her ears straining to hear the almost nonexistent sound.

She remained that way for several minutes, almost ready to brush it off as a figment of her imagination, until the groan traveled back to her once again. It came from behind her, barely audible as it filtered in from the west side. She drew her sword, the blade rasped against its sheathe, the sound echoing back to the source of the groan in what could almost be taken as a challenge.

She moved forward, her feet deftly shuffling past the rollers and onto the narrow side platform. Her armor clanked as she moved forward slowly, her sword gleamed in the torchlight. She was peered into the dark hallway, her ears listening for the unknown source of the groan. It drifted to her again, coming from deep in the hallway. She slapped the flat side of her sword against the stone wall, letting the ring of the impact inform her new enemy that she was armed.

It was silent for a moment after that, and then a long growl sounded, ringing off of stone walls and making her spine shiver.

She raised her sword higher, and paced forward more quickly, sure of the direction in which the sound came from. It was most definitely a cell on the left side, only a little farther down the hall. She had just stepped past an open cell door when something slammed into her, knocking her forward onto the rollers. She cursed as she tried to flip around, her feet slipping on rollers. The thing that had knocked her down pushed her back onto the rollers, keeping her away from the platform closest to the cell. She lashed out with her sword, but only struck air. Whatever was attacking her was fast.

It struck again, this time from the left, and she was thrown against the opposite wall by the force. She squinted in the dim light, trying to get a glimpse of her assailant, but was only able to see light reflecting off of a thin, serpent-like form before it slammed into her again. The force of the blow knocked the air from her lungs, and as it pulled away she realized that her armor had crumpled like paper, constricting her breathing.

Erza heard the thing whistle through the air as it moved at inhuman speeds, ready to make a fatal strike. In a moment of clarity, Erza dropped her sword, and moved just in time for the creature to slam into the wall. She grabbed the thing before it could move away, and an annoyed growl sounded from within the cell.

Suddenly Erza was lifted from the floor, and she wrapped her arms around what she now realized was a long tail. She was slammed back down onto the rollers, and Erza nearly released her death hug on the appendage.

She grabbed her sword from where it had fallen on the rollers and didn't think twice as she sliced the creatures tail clean off.

It roared in fury, and the remains of the appendage quickly retracted back into the cell. Erza braced herself for another attack, but none came, and Erza allowed herself to relax enough to assess the situation.

She couldn't see much in the dim light, but it was clear that the huge cell door had been left open, not all the way, but just enough for the monster inside to fit its tail through. Erza's armor was ruined, and she quickly requipped into another one of her standard sets. Her sides ached terribly, most likely extremely bruised, but she didn't feel like anything was broken.

The monster within the cell was silent, most likely nursing its wound.

Erza was about to turn away and forget about the thing until a later date, but curiosity won over caution, and she quickly reached for her sword and light Lachrima.

The Lachrima light up the hallway quickly, making her eyes burn as they were forced to adjust.

After a few seconds of squinting, she finally managed to make out the shape that rested within the cell.

Her jaw immediately dropped in awe of the sight before her. It was Red Menace.

The section of tail that she had been battling earlier had only been the tip of the large appendage. The tail hovered in anticipation of another attack, swaying back and forth across the creatures face. She traced the length of the tail with her eyes, following it up to the menacing spines that adorned the dragon's scaly back. Faded crimson scales glinted in the Lachrima's light, and Erza had to keep a gasp from escaping her mouth as her eyes landed on the chains and bindings that kept the dragon firmly planted against the floor.

Blood pooled on the floor and stained the noble creature's bonds, and Erza could see several wounds openly weeping crimson tears that gleamed as they sank into the cracks between the dragon's scales.

Her eyes drifted to his head. Red's face was turned towards her, his nostrils flaring, and his barbed tongue flicking as he scented the air, trying to decide if she was an enemy or not. Red seemed to be trying to turn his head directly towards her, but his neck was chained firmly to the ground, and he seemed too tired to strain against his bonds. Erza stood still for a moment, her eyes on the hovering tail as she waited for the dragon to make its verdict.

Finally, after several minutes, he seemed to decide that she wasn't worth the trouble of killing, and turned his head away, his tail floating down to rest on the wood floor. It was only then that Erza deemed it safe to move about.

She quickly requipped into her plain clothes, her body completely free of armor. She poured more magic into the Lachrima, and its glow spread further, lighting up the entire room. The dragon did not notice the increase in light, and it was then that Erza remembered that the poor thing was blind, his eyes torn out long ago and the sockets covered in ugly scar tissue.

Her hand itched to reach out and touch Red's snout, but she had to hold herself back. It wasn't good to approach an animal as dangerous as a dragon under these conditions, and despite the circumstances, she also feared that she would anger the noble creature if she approached it disrespectfully.

_…__ZA!_

_ERZA!_

That was Gray's voice. Her Com. Lachrima must have lost signal for a moment.

_I'm fine Gray, I've found one of the dragons. I'll send you my location. _

Erza stared hard at the room around her, imprinting the scene into her memory, before she closed her eyes and projected the image out to the others.

Lucy gasped and Gray hissed when they received the image seconds later. Their outrage and disgust was understandable, Erza herself could not muster the will to fully inspect the dragons body. From what she had witnessed hours earlier, she knew the dragon's wounds were horrible, but he no doubt had more than what she had been able to see then.

_We'll be there soon Erza._ Lucy said, her voice accompanied by feelings of sorrow and fear. Erza wondered how Lucy had allowed herself to become so quickly attached to the creatures imprisoned here, most namely the dragons. For a moment, her memories slipped back to the day that Lucy had first appeared at the guild, and she clenched her fists in anger about the events that had transpired soon after that.

The celestial Mage's attachment definitely stems from what had happened to her in the past, but Erza had no idea what all of them were. Even Makarov wasn't entirely sure of the blond mage's history, but they were all aware that her past was darker than even Erza's.

_Speaking of the past…_

Erza's attention fell back on to Red Menace. His breathing had become more labored since her arrival, and she desperately wished to help the poor creature, but she had no idea where to start.

The only one present who could help the poor creature was Lucy, but her medical knowledge only went as far as herbs and medicines. No plant could fix the extensive damage that Red Menace had endured.

Erza vaguely wondered if the other dragon was alive, and if any of the others had come across him yet. She could have asked them, but she doubted that they could manage two mortally wounded dragons at once. It was best to deal with one before they took on more than they could chew.

Without anything else to do, Erza seated herself directly in front of the dragon's nose so that he could know where she was.

The room was silent then, except for the dragon's heavy breathing, and Erza found herself at ease in Red's presence, despite the fact that he could kill her at any moment. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that he also took pleasure in her company and had relaxed considerably since their initial greeting.

She enjoyed the peace with Red as she waited for the others to arrive, but she could not enjoy if for long.

_Erza!_

The red haired mage was immediately at the ready, her hand grasping the Lachrima tightly.

_Gray, what is it?_

_We found the other dragon! _

It was Lucy then, and Erza winced as she began to receive signals from everyone, Juvia, Gray, and Happy's voices mixing together with the blonds.

_Not so-_

_Anything m-_

_Dea-_

_Devil's Shad-_

_Dead!_

_He's dead!_

Erza said nothing as cold silence suddenly befell the group. They knew it would happen to one of them, but so soon? Dragons were persistent and stubborn, known to fight until their very last breath in legend. But, even the strongest monsters in legend could die someday.

_Okay…_ Erza responded, trying to choose her words carefully.

_I know we came here to save these guys, but we can't help them all. One of the two dragons was bound to die; it was just a matter of time. We still have Red Menace. We can still save one._

Erza could feel Lucy's sorrow, and it took everything in her to not convey the same emotions across the line. She could feel Gray's quick acceptance, and Happy and Juvia sent out waves of comfort to Lucy, but Erza doubted that they reached the celestial mage.

_We can still save one, _Erza repeated, and then she shut off the line.

Lucy was too attached to the dragons. The poor girl had lived her whole life without any positive attachments, and when she finally made some at the guild, she became completely reliant on the bonds she had with the others, and with her spirits. The girl was too kind, and her kindness attached her to two creatures that were on the brink of death. All she could do now was move past it.

Next to her, Red seemed to have become slightly restless, as if he could sense the discontent of her fellow guild members. His nostrils flared, and he kept cocking his head to the side, as if trying to hear something.

Then suddenly, he stilled, and his head turned directly towards Erza.

_Finally! I was starting to think it would be impossible to hop on your channel!_

Erza stiffened. She did not recognize that voice at all. Someone had hacked the Lachrima.

She immediately opened the line and deactivated the old channel, quickly activating their backup.

_Guy's, the old line had been compromised. Someone is hacking the channels._

A moment later, Gray's end of the line became active, as well as Lucy's and Juvia's.

_Who?_ Gray asked.

_I thought Warren custom made these things. You would have to be a high level seer in order to hack these things._

_According to Warren, _Juvia threw in.

_Exactly,_ Erza agreed. _If the enemy had any mages capable of telepathy, then we would have been found out the moment we stepped into the arena. Nothing is more suspicious than a closed channel._

_I'll say._

It was the intruder, again!

Erza gritted her teeth in agitation. Whoever this guy was, he had amazing skill. Erza had never met anyone better than Warren in communications, and it unnerved her to think that this guy could hop on and off of telepathic channels on a whim.

_Who are you? _She growled, ready to tear into this guy the moment she got a hint of his location.

_Tough question, _he mocked. _Here's a better one. Who. Are. You?_

Erza huffed irritation. He knew exactly who they were; he was just playing with them.

She was about to say as much when the stranger interrupted her.

_I actually don't know. It's amazing how far behind one can get when one is locked underground for over fifty years. Pleas enlighten me._

Erza blinked at that. Despite his mocking tone, the stranger sounded genuine.

_I am Erza of Fairy Tail. My team and I were sent here to destroy the guild that has been illegally operating this place and to liberate prisoners. Now, I'll ask again, who are you?_

_That's the question of the day, huh. _He answered.

_Well… You might know me as Red Menace, but I would prefer if you called me by proper name. So….._

_My name is Natsu. It's a pleasure to meet you, Erza of Fairy Tail._

**And that is that. For those of you who were confused about Demon's Shadow and Red Menace, I sad at the top that I went back and edited the previous chapters and gave the dragons 'stage names', if you will. You can figure out which is which. I actually didn't plan the last bit, but it really help flow into what I wanted to do next, so cliffs everywhere!**

**To the reviews!**

**naruto kurama- I know, me too! *squeals **

**gratsulover117- Maybe, maybe not, this applies to both of your questions. Still undecided on many things.**

**Guest- Dude, both of your reviews posted, LOL. Thank you for your concern. I am getting better, but it's still a struggle. Well, Lucy will be meeting them soon now won't she?**

**Don't forget to review, and read on my Lovelies!**


End file.
